Self Banning?!?!

[Zarn Ishtare]

Please, just listen for a moment, all you older time members who are thinking of asking to be banned:

Why?

The most common reason to ask for this is that you want to leave CAA for awhile. Well then, why ask for a self ban? If you believe that is will be better for you to leave for awhile, then leave. Say you'll be gone for awhile on the thread in general, and go and take your break for whatever reason you decided. A part of leaving means you have to resist the temptation to come back, guys. If you believe that it is time for you to move on, then move on. Asking to be banned may bring some dramatic close to your time on CAA, but what does it accomplish? It gives the mods yet another job to do (keeping track of who asked to be banned and who was banned), It spawns a host of copy-cats (not all of whom should be banned. I mean, if your leaving for a week on vacation, why ban? why?), and it has a negative impact on those your leaving here.

Please, if you feel you need to leave CAA for whatever reason, do so without causing headaches for the mods and heartaches for the regulars. There are some members who may or may not need it to resist (though at that point you've only changed what your resisting to resisting to email Ashley or a mod to let you back in), but please, before you pm Ashley and say "ban me", think about it. I respect those who have left, no matter if they asked to be banned or if they merely left. We've lost several senior members at any rate. Please, if you need a vacation, break, time away, take it and go with everyone's blessing. Don't confuse the issue by asking for a ban.

And really consider what your leaving before you do it. Bob considered it, and in his case it seems to have worked out, but that should be the exception, not the rule. I understand if you're addicted to CAA (or the net in general) But if thats the case, disable your browser. Close your web account. Or, don't get on the computer. Whatever works.

And Please, don't turn this into an arguement thread. Too many of my friends have left all ready, and I don't want this to be the reason others leave. Please, consider what I'm saying, pray about it, and most of all,
NO FIGHTING.

Your Brother in Christ,
Zarn Ishtare.

[White Raven]

I have often wondered about the self banning.
But I don’t really think it is any of my business what other people do.

[uc pseudonym]

I cannot speak formally for the administration on this subject, but I believe I can speak in general for most moderators. We really would prefer that you don't ask to be banned unless you feel it is absolutely necessary (for example, if you are struggling with internet addiction). It is for the best if you simply post you are leaving, state why, and then exercise self-restraint.

[Heart of Sword]

I was attached to the CAA and I was having trouble leaving. So I asked to be banned to make it easier on me because I wouldn't be able to come back. I put in my signature that I had been asked to be banned so that hopefully nobody would bother the mods about it. I came back to CAA a few months later, and now I'm not having any problems. I needed a forced break, that's all.

[Zarn Ishtare]

I agree with UC. Self-restraint is whats called for, not banning. You should be able to control your own time and decide to leave without having the mods have to help you. If you want to take a break, take a break. I leave every so often for months at a time. Every so often, I'll just quit the net for a few months. I do other things, read, homework, yada yada yada...But I don't ask to be banned. Why? Becuase if the point is to leave, then leave, and resist the temptation with the power of God, not the power of Mod. If your addicted to the net, pray about it. Talk to your parents. Leave the net and do somthing else. this banning thing is getting out of control, and frankly, if it continues, it's possible the Mods will simply stop allowing it. The Ban feature is solely controlled by the administration and moderation team, and is supposed to be used to rid unruly visitors and users from the site, and to keep certain things (like Yaoi, Hentai, Etc.) out of the site, not to push out people who are having a hard time quitting.

Believe me, I understand all about net addictions, but this is not the way to go about it. If you need help, get help. Therapy, Doctor, Parents, and most of all, God. Those are the things you should use to break an addiction, not this. Please, just consider what I'm saying.

[GrubbTheFragger]

self banning in my thoughs is making it so if u need to take a break you can leave and it won't let u log back in not leave then come back a day after u said u were gonna be gone a week. Its just something some people need.

[Heart of Sword]

I never said I couldn't leave, I said that getting temporarily banned would make it easier for me to leave. I was having trouble leaving because I was emotionally attached to the site, not addicted. You obviously aren't emotionally attached to the CAA, so how would you know what I'm talking about?

[Zarn Ishtare]

Heart, thats uncalled for. I am very attached to CAA. I've been around for awhile, and I respect and pray for everyone here. I would prefer that we not make assumptions about each other that are not true.

What I am saying though, is that a forced break defeats the purpose of leaving in the first place. The fact that it has worked for a few people (note: Few) should be the exception, not the rule. If you want to strengthen your resistance to net addiction, then you should do it by yourself (With God, of course) and not make the mods do the work for you. If it's you who wants to break the addiction, it should be you who does the work.

I'm glad it worked for you, Bob, and a few others. However, this is a disturbing trend that has been bothering me very recently, and I don't feel anyone (except a couple of mods) has really adressed this issue. I care about CAA very deeply, and that is why I've brought this up. Not to bring people down, but to ask them to think about this. After Bob, a large amount of people (relatively, anyway) asked for banning. Some may have genuinely needed it, but when people ask to be banned for awhile because they are going on vacation, or their just taking a week or so "breather", I think then it needs to be adressed as the problem that it is becoming. I decided to bring it up because it would have been brought up by the mods (Once this trend got out of hand, which I truly suspect it will) or someone else. That it was me is based on the fact that of everyone I can think of, I might be the most objective person to bring it up. I've struggled with Internet addiction, sometimes staying up for 48 hours at a time with breaks for food and restrooms. I know it's dangerous to your health. I know it's painful to those who care about you.
Thats why I brought this up, because I understand net addiction, and thusly, hoped to avoid the conflict that this is seemingly and inevitably bound to become.

[meboeck]

I think you have both made good points, but you are both assuming your own opinion abd situation to be universal. In general, self banning is probably not usually the way to go. However, if that was universal, the mods simply wouldn't allow it. I personally would never ask to be banned, but I'm not going to go around telling people that no one should ever do that. It depends greatly on your own personality and state of mind.

[Zarn Ishtare]

That is a good point. However, in my own statements, I showed that there were exceptions. Bob being one (I think he's the first one who did this anyway), Heart being another. However, I think that if this continues, there will be further and further abuse of the ban for purposes it was never intended for. It was not meant to be a tool to stop net addiction, or to push people into resisting said temptation. While I am glad it has had a positive affect in some peoples lives, I believe that in this case, the bad will outway the good. It's just how I see things going. I've been on alot of forums, and things like this never continue for long until some mod says enough. I hope that it won't be abused in such a manner, I pray that people will find other ways of leaving and thus those who absolutely must be banned for their own sake can take that option, but I don't really see it going that way. I think alot of people will try and copy-cat Duck and the others who really needed it, and it will be a big huge mess for staff and members alike.

[Arnobius]

Well, I have a surgery scheduled in the indeterminate future, and one thing I've discovered from past experiences is when impared by the anesthetics after surgery, I tend to lose my sense of good taste and self restraint and have created works I thought were humorous that later turned out to be in extremely poor taste. So once I have a date for that surgery I will probably request a temporary ban so I don't post something during that time that would get me banned for real.

[Syreth]

This is Bob's prayer thread. Both mods and admins addressed the self-ban issue.

http://www.christiananime.net/showthread.php?t=30937&page=3

[Stephen]

Zarn, not to be rude...but I don't think its your business if someone decides they want or need this done.

[Zarn Ishtare]

Ark, all I am asking is that people think about this before they do this. I feel that perhaps this is something that has not been properly thought through in some situations, and I'm all I'm asking for is a calm, ordered dialogue about this. I'm not inciting riot nor attempting to flame those who chose to do this.

I care very deeply about everyone here, and if I think there is an issue, I'll adress it in the public forums without being rude. I don't get to do much to help CAA along, but if there is something I believe should be discussed, I will post my thoughts on the matter and hope that others do the same. This is what I can do, Ark. Hopefully, we can all sit and talk like fellow believers and have an intelligent dialogue about this subject, instead of everyone getting angry and upset over a small difference in opinions.

This is not me trying to attack people. I merely am trying to help people in whatever way I can with my thoughts on the matter, and ask that others do the same.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

I think it's perfectly okay to ask to be self-banned. Internet addiction can seriously eat up one's time when they have other important things that require their attention.

[Stephen]

My point is Zarn, what gives you the right to question the motives of others? If somthing is between them and God...you have no right to complain about them asking to be banned. It's somthing we've done for years, and will continue to do at members requests. It takes seconds for a mod or admin to ban an account...so its not like its a hassle. I see no reason why someone elses choice should bother you.

[ShiroiHikari]

Reasons why I asked to be banned:

1. I admit it. I have no self-control and CAA makes me spend more time online.
2. I was having personal issues and needed time to cool off before I said something hateful.

Zarn, I think it's up to the mods which self-ban requests they accept and which ones they don't. I think they're more than capable of doing their jobs. All it takes to ban someone is a couple of clicks of the mouse.

Sorry Ark, I didn't see your post until I already sent mine off. ^^;

[Stephen]

Sorry Nette. You must be blackbagged now.

[Mave]

I've been addicted and overly emotionally attached to CAA before. While I didn't think of asking for self-banning at that time, I sure had a pretty hard time practising self-restraint. Therefore, I wouldn't expect it to be easy on anyone else with a similar problem. (>_<)

Everyone has different capabilities of self-restraint and we need to be respectful of that. It's our job to help each other out in our weaknesses and I don't think our mods/admins have a problem with helping their members out in this type of situation.

Besides, if the mods/admins feel overburdened by this, I'm sure they will voice it out. They can also decline to self-ban someone if they didn't think that individual wasn't serious.

Don't get me wrong. I do think it's kind of you to consider the workload of the admins/mods and acknowledge your sincere intentions, Zarn.

[Kaligraphic]

*instead of sending a "ban me" pm to Ashley, sends a "ban Zarn Ishtare" pm in its place*



(edit: wow, I walk away for an hour before hitting post, and a whole raft of other posts show up. I guess I'm not the only one who comes in at lunch.)

[Cap'n Nick]

Self banning does have the effect of alerting the entire CAA community that you wish to be forcibly removed from it for a time. There's certainly the potential for melodrama.

[Heart of Sword]

Heart, thats uncalled for. I am very attached to CAA. I've been around for awhile, and I respect and pray for everyone here. I would prefer that we not make assumptions about each other that are not true.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

If you are as emotionally attached as I was, you would want to be self-banned if you left because it makes it easier on you.

Self banning does have the effect of alerting the entire CAA community that you wish to be forcibly removed from it for a time. There's certainly the potential for melodrama.

Why is self-banning so much different than just leaving?

[Steeltemplar]

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

If you are as emotionally attached as I was, you would want to be self-banned if you left because it makes it easier on you.


Why is self-banning so much different than just leaving?

I don't see it as being dramatic at all, honestly. It's not like the self-banned person isn't coming back or is leaving because of an argument or whatnot.

[Bianca]

Why would anyone want to ban themselves 0_o

[Heart of Sword]

Why would anyone want to ban themselves 0_o

Read the thread and you'll see why. ^^

[Zarn Ishtare]

It wasn't easy at all, Heart, so I understand where you are coming from. I peeked occasionally, and it drove me crazy. But I still think it is more effective to resist it by your own descision. I know it makes it easier, but why should it be? Why should casting off something for a long time you considered a major part of your life be easy to leave? I think that if you can go cold turkey, so to speak, it makes you stronger as a person and gives you the ability to resist temptation with much more ease. I know this must sound ludacris, but if it is not hard to break, then when you return, will you be addicted again? Will you have to leave again and have wasted that break time for nothing?

However, when I left, self banning was not an option, and I did it the hard way. Truth to tell? I don't know what I myself would have chosen if I had known it was. The fact is though, that I profited more from the hard way, as it gave me the strength to fight other addictions in my life.

I realize that now I have entered the foggy realms of opinion and personal experience, and thus what may apply for me does not apply for all of you, I can say that it is my suggestion and my opinion that those who leave should do so the "hard" way first, and if they absolutely cannot quit, then ask for a ban.

Like I said, all I ask is that you think about what I am saying and prayerfully consider it.

Ark, I consider it my honor to help other people. I am not attempting to make a desision for them or to pressure them to agree with me. So far (for the most part) this has been a polite discussion, and I think everyone here is mature enough to see that it continues that way. I don't interfere with peoples private lives, but when you leave, it is a descision that affects everyone else, good or bad. I just wanted people who are considering asking for a self ban to hear what I had to say on the subject, and prayerfully consider what I've said. If I did not try to help, to suggest, to guide, I would be a failure to my calling (a preacher) and to my self. I can do crushingly little for other people through the net, but I can give what suggestions and advice that I have prayerfully considered and attempt to help people however I may. That is all that I am trying to do here.

I realize I have no true authority here, so this all may have sounded Pretentious, but if advice is all I can to in my service to God and the people I care for, then that is what I will try my absolute best to do.

[Heart of Sword]

It wasn't easy at all, Heart, so I understand where you are coming from. I peeked occasionally, and it drove me crazy. But I still think it is more effective to resist it by your own descision. I know it makes it easier, but why should it be? Why should casting off something for a long time you considered a major part of your life be easy to leave?

It's helpful for people like me who prefer to shut down their emotions. I know I shouldn't be that way, but I am.

I think that if you can go cold turkey, so to speak, it makes you stronger as a person and gives you the ability to resist temptation with much more ease.

It's just easier, that's all. I never said I couldn't leave. It's just easier on the emotions.

I know this must sound ludacris, but if it is not hard to break, then when you return, will you be addicted again? Will you have to leave again and have wasted that break time for nothing?

I don't think so.

Anyway, we have our reasons for wanting to be self-banned. You won't be able to understand what we're talking about, because you've never wanted to be self-banned.

[Mangafanatic]

I'm sure all those who have been self-banned in the past have never had the intention of simply drawing attention to themselves or creating a stir for their own purposes (Not that anyone said that were. I just thought I'd just clarify for our newer members ).

When we receive a request like this, which happens only one or twice a month, typically, we don't just automatically comply. If Sally wants to be banned from CAA because all the typing is really causing a stress on her nails, we'll turn that request down. However, there are those with legitimate reasons for leaving CAA for a while, and we've tried to be obliging to those individuals. Some people really do need the forcible removal from the site. Sure, it is a last resort, and it does cause a problem for the staff-- but if the person really does need that help, well, we'll try to be as helpful as we can.

If anyone unfamiliar with self-banning is thinking poorly of those who make this decision, please, be kind with them. The staff wouldn't have facilitated their leaving if it was done for any reason other than necessity.

And, Zarn, thank you for your concern for the staff. However, don't worry about us too much. If this become a serious issue, we'll stop doing it. We're not exactly push overs, as you've seen. *someone slaps an "I'm am an opinionated loud-mouth" sticker on Osaka's back as she leaves the thread.*

[Kaligraphic]

We're exactly push overs, as you've seen.

*pushes Mangafanatic*

*watches her not fall over*

Hmm, I think you may have misspoken there.

[Mangafanatic]

*pushes Mangafanatic*

*watches her not fall over*

Hmm, I think you may have misspoken there.

BWA HA HA!! TYPO QUEEN STRIKES AGAIN!

*corrects that*